Friendships
by Miss I-Like-Too-Many-Fandoms
Summary: A brief exploration of the beloved quote, "Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" Featuring Katara and Korra with a dash of Lin.


**I know this prompt is terribly overdone, but I couldn't resist. I love the quote and the characters too much. I, sadly, have no claim to Avatar: The Last Airbender or the Legend of Korra, they are the property of Mike and Bryan and Nickelodeon. Enjoy!**

Korra met Katara at the age of four, when she began her water bending training. Katara had been told that the child was unruly and difficult and she had seen it for herself when Korra interacted with others, but on that first day of training, and every day that followed, it was as if Korra was a different person. She was quiet and obedient, her temper got the better of her at times, but she did not once disobey Katara. Members of the White Lotus and even Korra's parents asked Katara in awe how she made Korra so cooperative and respectful. Katara would merely give a smile that held secrets in its depths, shrug, and say, "I don't do anything" and it was not a lie. Her brother and her friends understood, but they also remained silent, taking the secret to their graves, leaving Katara and Zuko the remaining keepers. The matter was dropped after a few years and not brought up again until Korra had mastered water bending.

It was time for Korra to move on to master earth bending, but the thirteen year old could not bear to spend less time with her beloved teacher and it confused her. Though she was very much a physical person, Korra was not unintelligent and in fact quite precocious, just not prone to deep thinking. She had an inkling about why her emotions were so strong regarding the elderly Katara, but this inkling presented a frightening concept.

At twelve, Korra had begun to be taught and understand what it meant to be the Avatar. She had grown up hearing stories about the legendary Avatar Aang, Katara, and their friends, how they, as teenagers, had ended a hundred year conflict, but with the more spiritual side of being the Avatar, the bridge between the worlds, coming to her attention by the teachings of the White Lotus, Korra realized her connection to her predecessor, Avatar Aang. This knowledge being the root of her fear.

"Korra, it is not as if we will never see each other again, I am still to be part of your training." Katara was treating the teenage Korra to tea and seaweed cookies in her residence at the compound after the girl had come in crying.

"I know that now. There's…there's something else…" The tears had slowed with the onset of cookies.

"What is it, child?"

"It's you, Sifu." Korra had not called Katara Sifu since the beginning of her training, and just as it did the first time the title fell from her lips, it caused Katara's breath to hitch for a moment.

"What about me, Korra?" Katara's brow was furrowed. It seemed that Korra had concerns that did not fit her age and this made Katara ache for the girl, for she may be the Avatar and be at the age that Aang saved world, but in this time of peace, she did not deserve and nor was it fair for her to be burdened so early.

"It's…It's hard to describe. It's just you." Korra's skin so similar to Katara's began to color in embarrassment. "I feel…a connection between us. I don't feel it with anyone else. Is there something wrong with me? I shouldn't be so upset about my training ending, but I am!" Korra was so flustered, but Katara responded with a sad smile.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Korra and I feel what you have described." Korra calmed slightly, but only one fear of many had been dashed away, the first being the fear of being defective.

"There's more. You were married to Avatar Aang, right? You loved him." Katara maintained her sad smile, now understanding Korra's true concern.

"Yes. I loved Aang and still do with all of my being."

"Is what I feel…what _he _feels? I'm not really my own person, am I? But thousands occupying one body. Is that why I care for you so much? Why I don't want to spend less time with you?" Tears had pooled again in Korra's eyes, causing Katara to reach out and cover her hand with her own aged one. It was clear to Katara that the White Lotus had been filling her head with information about the nature of the Avatar Spirit.

"Korra, long ago, a dear friend of mine asked Aang a question. She asked if friendships could really last more than one lifetime."

"And what did he say?"

"Does his answer really matter?"

"Of course it does!" Katara chuckled to herself. The Avatar wisdom still came in bursts, as it had in Aang's youth.

"He said, "I don't see why not.' I agree wholeheartedly with Aang, Korra. I consider you another grandchild. Aang and I were best friends before we fell in love and there is no reason for that love not to have become familial love in you." Korra opened her mouth to no doubt voice her final fear, but Katara beat her to it. "But you are still your own person, Korra, just as Aang was and those who preceded him. The Avatar Spirit resides in you, but it is merely a part of you. If you were not the Avatar, you'd still be Korra." Korra gave the old woman a watery smile and jumped out of her seat, spilling her tea as she hugged her mentor fiercely.

Four years after their talk, Korra once again had problems leaving her water bending teacher behind, but this time she kept silent, for she understood, just as Katara understood that she had a destiny to pursue, one outside the White Lotus compound. It was still no less painful though as she said farewell and rode off on Naga toward the docks. Though she knew she was her own person, not just the vessel for the immortal Avatar Spirit, she could not help but to muse that Aang was once again saying goodbye to his love. When she met Chief Lin Bei Fong, her belief that friendships could transcend life times was shaken. It was well known that Aang and Toph Bei Fong had been close friends throughout their lives. Maybe her affection for Katara was merely a result of the strong love between Aang and Katara. After the destruction of the Pro-Bending arena, Korra knew differently.

Korra could not be described as a spirtual person, but she knew friendships could last more than one lifetime and could not help but to wonder if her friends, Mako, Bolin, and Asami, would befriend her successor or if their descendants would, following the exact train of though, unbeknownst to Korra, that Toph Bei Fong, Avatar Aang, Master Katara, and Councilmen Sokka had decades before her.


End file.
